Door stay



Oct. 17, 3.967 H. GLEFF 39347582 DQoR STAY Filed Feb. 4, 1966 United States Patent O 3,347,582 DOOR STAY Herbert Cletf, Ennepetal-Vorde, Germany, assignor to Dorken & Mankel K.G., Ennepetal-Verde, Westphalia, Germany Filed Feb. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 525,155

Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 17, 1965,

6 Claims. (Cl. 292-178) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A door stay in which an elongated locking bolt is guided by guide means fixed to a door for rectilinear movement against the force of a spring from a retracted to an extended position engaging the floor benea-th the door to hold the latter in fixed position, and in which the locking bolt in the extended position thereof is automatically locked by releasable locking means, whereby, when the locking means are released, the locking bolt will return under the action of the spring to the retracted position.

The invention relates to a stay for doors which is provided with a locking bolt located in a guide member which can be secured to the door, the locking bolt being automatically locked by a spring-loaded clamping plate and being rectilinearly movable relative to the iloor against the tension of a return spring, the clamping plate being tiltably supported by the guide member in the operating position.

In known door stays of this kind part of the length of the locking bolt in its initial position protrudes beyond the guide member. The length of the maximum adjusting travel is determined by the extent to which the locking bolt protrudes. To keep the external dimensions of the stay as small as possible in the interests of an attractive appearance, designs known in the prior art select on the one hand a relatively short support length in the guide member and on the other limit the extent of adjustment of the travel of the bolt. Thus while being adequate on most occasions, the door stay sometimes fails. Moreover,

a short guide length results in high stresses and sometimes reduces the usefulness or the working life of the stay.

It is an object of this invention to produce a door stay of the type described which with small external dimensions of the locking bolt will provide a long guide length as well as extensive adjustment of the travel while combining simplicity of construction with a pleasing appearance.

According to the invention this is achieved by providing the guide member with a guide track for the locking bolt extending in the adjusting direction over the length of the travel adjustment,'the locking bolt being provided with operating cams extending laterally to its longitudinal dimension. In contrast to designs known to prior art, the pressure required for transferring the locking bolt into the operating position is exerted in the stay according to this invention not directly but by means of the operating lCe easily possible to design the guide track extending over the travel adjustment in such a way that it will always guide the locking bolt virtually without slack.

The invention can be-realised in several different embodiments. In a preferred embodiment the guide track is formed by a cross-web of U-shaped guide member and connected to a guide plunger extending in the direction of adjustment. This enables manufacture to be substantially simplified since a profile material piece which requires virtually no machining is adequate as guide plunger. In such a design it is particularly useful to allow the guide plunger to extend from the upper cross-web of the guide member in the direction towards the lloor and have it guided and gripped in a tube-shaped part of the locking bolt. This results in a permanently dependable telescopic guide with large supporting sliding surfaces which are virtually free from any wear.

The operating cam can be arranged in different ways. It is particularly recommended to detachably connect the operating cam, which in its exposed area is preferably plate-shaped, to the end part of the locking bolt facing away from the oor, The operating cam will then always remain within the immediately guided range of the locking bolt so that any forces exerted on it cannot result in any harmful tilting or similar displacements. In addition, this space-saving arrangement results in a pleasing appearance. A detachable connection of the operating cam is useful to facilitate convenient assembly of individual parts which are easy to manufacture. According to a further characteristic of the invention the operating cam can moreover act together with the guide member to secure the locking bolt against rotation. This additional function can be of significance in particular in cases where in the interests of saving production costs the locking bolt consists basically of a tube. v Y The design of the stay in accordance with the invention provides a large space for accommodating a springvact-ing on the locking bolt in the retracted position so that it is possible to use a spring having a at characteristic within the operating range which during practical service is not exposed to any unfavourably high stresses. In this context it is advisable to provide a restoring spring enveloping the guided part of the locking bolt whichrests lagainst the operating cam at its upper end andagainst the lower cross-web of the U-shaped guide member with its lower end. To accommodate the locking plate in such arrangements in an operationally favourable manner combined with pleasing appearance, it is moreover useful to insert a linking member between the lower cross-web of the guide member and the lower spring end reaching over l the locking plate arranged above the lower cross-web.

cam acting on the locking bolt. To ensure nevertheless reliable, guidance of the locking bolt, a guide track extending over the length of the travel adjustment is provided on the guide member. This has the advantage that unlike known designs, the locking bolt no longer protrudes in the initial position with part of its length beyond the guide member. This results in favourable dimensions and a pleasing appearance. Although the design of the guide in accordance with this invention results in a support length in the guide which varies with the extent of displacement of the locking bolt, this is of no importance as far as the practical usefulness is concerned since it is With the aid of the linking memberan adequate space -is kept free for'the locking plate and its associatedY spring, whilst the tension of the spring acting on the locking bolt in the restoring direction is transmit-ted to the lower crossweb so that the two springs pretensioned in opposite directions remain completely independent of each other.

. In the design of the stay according to the invention it will be necessary,'if a cover is provided in the customary way, to arrange in the -cover a longitudinal slot which provides a clearance for the travel of the operating cam. To

prevent this slot from impairing the appearance of thestayV of the actuating cam since this provides an additional sup-l port at the same time. The actuating cam could, however, envelop the Ifiat web on` one -side although this is less favourable from a manufacturing point of view. j

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side view of a stay according to the invention secured to a door, the operating position of the stay being indicated by broken lines;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the arrangement in FIG. l; f Y

FIG. 3 shows the stay on a larger scale in a partly sectioned side view, a cover having been omitted;

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 3 as side view with the locking bolt moved into the` operating position; l

' FIG. 5 is a section on line V--V in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a section on line VI-VI in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the stay 11 is mounted on the lower edge of a door 10, the stay 11 being provided with an extendable locking bolt 13 which at its lower end is provided with a thrust foot. An operating cam 14 is provided for advancing the locking bolt 13 into the operating position and the stay is released by the action of the exposed part of a locking plate 1S.

f' The construction of the stay is shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 to 6. Basically the stay comprises a U-shaped bracket 16 having a web 19 which can be connected to the door by meansof screws extending through screw holes provided therein and two end webs 17 and 18. A cylindrical plunger 20 is riveted to the top end web 17,' the cylindrical plunger extending parallel to the web 19.

A tube 21 forming part of the locking bolt 13 is axially slidable on the plunger 20 which forms a guide track therefor. At the lower end the tube 21 passes through an aperture in lower end web 18. The tube 21 is thus guided by the plunger 20 on t-he one hand and the web 18 on the other. The actuating cam 14 is detachably connected to the upper end of the tube 21 by a clamping screw 22. As shownin FIG. 5, the actutaing cam` 14 is provided with a plate 23 which contains the screw 22 and surrounds the tube piece 21. Extending from the plate 23 in a direction towards the web 19 as a projection 24, the end of which slidably engages against the web 19 so that it prevents rotation of the tube 21. On the opposite side from the projection 24 the actuating cam is provided with a at rectangular opening 25 whose purpose will be explained later. In addition the plate 23 of the actuating cam 14 is provided with a constriction delineated by two recesses 26 the purpose of which will also be explained subsequently. A part 27 of the actuating cam 14 protruding beyond the constriction provides a point for the application of force for changing over into the operating position. This force is normally applied by foot. Part 27 therefore forms .a pedal for operating the stay. In the lower end of the tube 21 is mounted a compression spring 29 engaging against a pin 28. The other end of the spring 29 engages against a plunger 30 of the thrust foot 12 which in the customary manner is provided at its lower end with a resilient inset 31. The plunger 30 is held in the tube 21 by a cotter 32 which engages` in slots 33 in the tube walls. The length of slots 33 determines the distance over which the plunger 30 of thethrust foot 12 can be` displaced against thecompression of spring 29.

p A second helical compression spring 34 envelopes the tube 21 and engages against the lower face of the actuating cam 14. The lower end of the spring 34 rests on a linking member `35 which is provided with a plate' 36 and bottom members 37 arranged opposite to each other. The plate 36 is provided with an opening corresponding v to the cross-section of the tube 21.` At 38 a flat web 39 is riveted to the edge of the plate 36 remote from the web 19, the at web 39 extending parallel to the web 19 as far as the upper end web 17. The flat web 39 passes'- through the opening 25 in theactuating cam 14 mentioned earlier. Below the linking member 35 the clamping plate 15 engages in a recess of the web 19 by means of a tongue 40, the dimensions being so selected that the clamping plate 15 can describe a tipping movement within certain limits. As is shown in FIG. 6, the clamping plate 15 is provided with a plate 41 having an aperture which receives the tube 21 and with an actuating pedal 43 joined to the plate 41 by a webr 42. Fitted below the clamping plate 15 is a helical compression spring 44 which is clamped between the clamping plate and the end web 18.'-

The helical compression spring 44 acts on the clamping plate 15 in a tilting direction as a result of which clamping action against the tube 21 is maintained. When the tube 21 moves downwards the clamping plate 15 is taken along against the tension of spring 44v acting on the clamping plate to such an extent that it does not hinder the movement of tube 21. At the end of the advance to the width of the constriction formed by recesses 26` of the operating cam and in the lower range corresponds to the width of the web 42 of the clamping plate.

To tix an open door in position pressure is applied on the operating cam 14 so that the tube 21 is moved downwards against the tension of spring 34, the tube piece 21 being guided at the upper end on the plunger 20 andrfor the rest in the opening of the cross-web 18. After the thrust foot 12 makes contact with the floor the plunger 30 is pressed in against the tension of spring 29 depending on the pressure applied to the actuating cam 14, in order tomaintain an adequate braking pressure. Any slight return movement of tube ,21 is compensated by spring 29. The clamping plate 15, which during the advance of tube 21 is carried along'a little against the tension of spring 44, returns into the locking position after completion of the advance movement and prevents a return movement of the tube 21. All that is required for releasing the door is to apply pressure to the clamping plate 15, that is to say to itspedal 43 in order to move it into a position which will release the tube 21 and in` which the spring 34 becomes active in the direction of a return movement into the initial position.

As mentioned earlier, the embodiment illustrated is only an example of the invention. It is not limited 'to this embodiment and several` other embodiments are possible. The advantageous characteristics of the telescopic guide for the locking bolt in accordance with the invention would also be utilised if the locking plate were to be arranged outside the guide range as is customary in stays known to prior art. The design of the telescopic guide may depart from the one presented here.

I claim:

1. A foot operated door stay comprising, in combination, attachment means for attaching the stay to a door adjacent the lower edge of the latter; an elongated locking bolt comprising a tubular member movable from a retracted position to an extended position in which said elongated locking bolt engages the door beneath the door to hold the latter in xed position; guide means for guiding said elongated locking bolt during its movement be tween said Ipositions thereof and including a fixed plunger slidably extending into said tubulark member and having a length suicient to engage and guide said tubular mem berin said extended position thereof and a lixed guide plate extending transverseto the axis of said plunger spaced in axial directionfrom the latter and formed with an aperture through which said tubular member extends to be guided therein; biasing means cooperating with said locking bolt and being -biased to urge the same from ,said extended to said retracted position; an operating foot pedal xed to said tubular member projecting laterally therefrom so that said locking bolt may be move-d against the force of said biasing means from said retracted to said extended to said retracted position; an operating foot said pedal; locking means cooperating with said locking bolt for holding the latter in said extended position; and releasing means cooperating with said locking means to release, when actuated, said locking means to thus free said bolt for return movement into said retracted position under the action of said biasing means.

2. A door stay as dened in claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprises a coil compression spring wound about sai-d tubular member.

3. A door stay as defined in claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a tiltable locking plate having an aperture through which said tubular member passes, and a spring cooperating with said locking plate to urge the latter into an oblique position relative to the axis yof said tubular member to lock the latter against axial movement, said releasing means comprising a second foot pedal connected to said plate so as to move upon applicati-on of pressure to said second foot pedal said tiltable plate against the pressure of the spring cooperating therewith to thereby `release said locking bolt.

4. A door stay as described in claim 3, wherein said locking bolt comprises a foot member slidably mounted in the lower end of said tubular member and a compression spring arranged in said tubular member and engaging said foot member to urge the latter outwardly from said lower end.

S. A door stay as delined in claim 4, wherein said attachment means comprises a U-shaped bracket having a base adapted to be connected to the door and a pair of arms projecting transversely from opposite ends of said base, said plunger being rigidly connected to one arm of said bracket and extends toward the other arm substantially parallel to said base, said other arm constituting said xed plate formed with said aperture in which said tubular member is guided.

6. A door stay as defined in claim 5, and including a link member substantially parallel to and held spaced from said other arm of said U-shaped bracket and having an aperture through which said tubular member passes, said coil compression spring abutting with its lower end against said link member and with its upper end against a portion of the bottom face of said operating foot pedal, said locking plate and the spring cooperating therewith being located in the space between said link member and said other arm of said bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 777,408 12/ 1904 Fletcher. 1,215,470 2/1917 Bouchery. 1,237,030 8/1917 Hass. 1,443,570 1/ 1923 Franckaerts.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FOOT OPERATED DOOR STAY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR ATTACHING THE STAY TO A DOOR ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE LATTER; AN ELONGATED LOCKING BOLT COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER MOVABLE FROM A RETRACTED POSITION TO AN EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH SAID ELONGATED LOCKIN BOLT ENGAGES THE FLOOR BENEATH THE DOOR TO HOLD THE LATTER IN FIXED POSITION; GUIDE MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID ELONGATED LOCKING BOLT DURING ITS MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS THEREOF AND INCLUDING A FIXED PLUNGER SLIDABLY EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO ENGAGE AND GUIDE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IN SAID EXTENDED POSITION THEREOF AND A FIXED GUIDE PLATE EXTENDING TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF SAID PLUNGER SPACED IN AXIAL DIRECTION FROM THE LATTER AND FORMED WITH AN APERTURE THROUGH WHICH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER EXTENDS TO BE GUIDED THEREIN; BIASING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING BOLT AND BEING BIASED TO URGE THE SAME FROM SAID EXTENDED TO SAID RETRACTED POSITION; AN OPERATING FOOT PEDAL FIXED TO SAID TUBULAR MEMBER PROJECTING LATERALLY THEREFROM SO THAT SAID LOCKING BOLT MAY BE MOVED AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID BIASING MEANS FROM SAID RETRACTED TO SAID EXTENDED TO SAID RETRACTED POSITION; AN OPERATING FOOT SAID PEDAL; LOCKING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING BOLT FOR HOLDING THE LATTER IN SAID EXTENDED POSITION; AND RELEASING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS TO RELEASE, WHEN ACTUATED, SAID LOCKING MEANS TO THUS FREE SAID BOLT TO RETURN MOVEMENT INTO SAID RETRACTED POSITION UNDER THE ACTION OF SAID BIASING MEANS. 